Man charged with public drunkenness at Wal-Mart

Mahoning Township police have charged a Palmerton man with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after an incident at the Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Kevin Douglas Tansley, 44, of the 100 block of Lehigh Avenue was charged on Dec. 22. Police Chief Kenneth Barnes reported that police were dispatched to the store at 3:20 a.m. because a man who appeared to be drunk was being disorderly and shouting obscenities. The man had been asked to leave the store by a manager and was refusing to do so. The responding officer confronted the male, who in the officer's opinion was clearly and obviously highly intoxicated. The male explained that he was unhappy with shoes he had purchased at the store and felt they had worn out prematurely.

The male was with a female who was waiting in a vehicle that was parked out in front of the store in the No Parking Fire Lane area. The responding officer made contact with the female and in the officer's opinion she appeared to be highly intoxicated.

The officer explained to both of them that he could not allow either one of them to drive, that he had no option but to tow their vehicle and offered to provide them with a ride to their home in Lehighton Borough. The male became more agitated, started yelling and screaming, refused to obey commands of the officer, began to move toward the store manager and at this point was placed under arrest for persistent disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. The male was then transported to the police station and continued with his belligerent behavior.